


Higher learning

by Shikasgurl22



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, College Life, F/M, Haruno Sakura - Freeform, Multi, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-08
Updated: 2013-05-04
Packaged: 2017-11-28 14:56:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/675663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shikasgurl22/pseuds/Shikasgurl22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haruno Sakura's college life takes a drastic turn when she accidentally misspells her name on the application at her new school in Konohagakure. What happens when she's forced to spend the next school year living with two odd, but strangely attractive people? Who knows, but Sakura is sure that hell will freeze over before she can make it out alive. It'll be survival of the fittest, right? Well, it's as they say; if you can't beat them, join them!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HEY PEOPLE OF AOOO! (WEIRD. I FEEL LIKE I'M IN SOME SECRET NERD CULT SAYING THAT) ANYHOW, THIS IS MY FIRST POST TO THIS SITE SO I'M VERY NERVOUS. I STARTED POSTING THIS STORY ON AFF, BUT NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE INTO HET ON THAT SITE NOW-A-DAYS IT SEEMS, SO I DECIDED TO COME HERE AND GIVE MY CREATIVITY A SHOT. THOUGH THE STORY STARTS OFF SLOWLY AND BUILDS UP OVER TIME I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL ENJOY IT.
> 
> WARNING!!!! THERE IS SOME BI LOVE GOING ON IN HERE SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT PLEASE STOP NOW. THIS FIC ALSO REVOLVES AROUND HARUNO SAKURA SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT THEN PLEASE STOP NOW. THIS FIC ALSO REVOLVES AROUND SOME EMO-NESS SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT THEN PLEASE STOP NOW. ALSO, THIS FIC HAS A VERY PERVERTED ROOMMATE SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE THEN PLEASE STOP NOW. IF ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED DISPLEASES YOU THEN PLEASE....HIT THE BACK BUTTON NOW!
> 
> AS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE STILL HERE, PLEASE ENJOY THIS LOVELY AND VERY PERVERTED PIECE OF WORK STRAIGHT FROM THE MIND OF YOURS TRULY. HAVE FUN!

Fire Nation University's newest student stood just outside its gates staring up at the very large, very old looking building that would house her for the next three years. Sakura Haruno had transferred to FNU from Suna University and today was her first day. For some reason, unknown even by her, she was nervous. It was like being a child at a new school all over again. Though she had already attended a university in Suna in the land of wind for an entire year, being at a new school never seemed to get any easier. No matter how old she got.

She'd filled out all the paperwork and received all the information she'd need for her new school even before she'd made it to Konoha. All she had to do was find her assigned dorm, settle in and prepare herself for her first day of school, which happened to be the next day. Sakura found a map of the school grounds just inside the gate and searched it for Shinobi Hall, the dorm she'd been assigned to. It didn't sound too bad, but she hoped that her roommate would be friendly, at the very least.

After asking a few people around campus, Sakura finally found Shinobi hall. It was located near the very back of the school's campus ground, furthest from the entrance where she'd come in, so carrying all her things had made the trip tiring, but she managed. Because it was still pretty early in the morning, most of the students must have been in class, she guessed, because Shinobi Hall was like a ghost town. It was empty and as silent as she'd ever seen a dormitory. Still, though, she hoped that her stay would be fun and enjoyable.

Room number 303 was what she looked for as she searched the halls. There were three floors, she quickly noticed so her room had to be on the very top. And what do you know, she found it.  While trying to hold all her thing, Sakura struggled to find her door key. Unlike her room in Suna, the doors here had sliding cards for keys. All she had to do was fish it out of her pocket and slide it through and the door would unlock. How fancy. However, in the midst of her struggle, one of her bags fell on the handle and the door just opened. Though it kind of freaked her out, Sakura stepped in the room anyway. She'd make sure to report the faulty locks to the dorm advisor once she met her.

Inside the room was pretty normal, though it was pretty big, much bigger than her last dorm room. There were two beds: one sat close to the door she'd just walked through. It was only a twin-sized bed with a lumpy-looking old, dusty mattress rolled up above a thin metal box spring. It was hers, most likely, since the other bed, which sat settled against the wall across from the first one, was already neatly made. The sheets that her roommate chose to have were pretty plain and dull. White sheets with a black comforter folded neatly at the foot of the bed.

Not far from that bed were two moderately sized closets with double sliding doors. The empty one was still open showing its availability. Next to both beds sat an old, worn brown night stand and finally, to her left were two other doors. One, at least, had to be a bathroom. At least she hoped so. There was nothing like having a little privacy when you showered. Though, she did have a moment to wonder where the second door would lead her. No time to waste though, Sakura wanted to be mostly settled in, showered and relaxed at least before noon.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

It had taken a bit longer than she'd hoped to have all of her things put away nice and neatly. The mattress on her bed just wouldn't cooperate long enough for her to get her bed together. Plus, it was dusty and smelled of time unused. Wasn’t anything a little beating and fabric freshener couldn't handle, but it took a lot of it. By the time she'd hung her last shirt in the closet it was noon and so she prepared herself for a shower. At her last dorm, Sakura had been a bit uptight around the other girl at the beginning. She didn't dare wear anything around her dorm mates that was even an inch above her ankles. She even took her clothes and toiletries in the bathroom with her just to change. After getting to know Ino, though, she'd loosened up enough that she could wear comfortable clothes. She wanted to show her new roommate that she would be just as comfortable in her presence.

Today Sakura chose just a t-shirt, some shorts and pair of ankle socks with cute little fuzzy pink balls on the back of them. It didn't get any more comfortable than this without being naked. After grabbing her towels and other toiletries, Sakura headed to the bathroom. Surprisingly, the first door she'd tried to open was locked so she had no idea where it led, but the second room was the bathroom. Odd though, that it had two doors instead of just the one she'd entered. Whoever her roommate was, she must have kept her things to herself because the bathroom was completely empty. Not one sign to show that someone had been using it save for a roll of tissue. Ino had kept their bathroom full of makeup and hair care products so this was surprising for Sakura.

No matter, though. Sakura sat her things on the counter just next to the sink before getting undressed. A good hot shower would do her tired body wonders. She stepped in the tub and turned the water on, and almost instantly the warmth of the water embraced her body. Sakura gave into the warm, relaxing sound of the water and placed her head under the spray to wet her pink locks, however in doing so she'd missed the sound of her new roommate as they entered their bedroom. Even as she showered it never occurred to her that her roommate might return from school soon. It wasn't until she was just about to exit the shower that she finally got to meet her roommate.

"Hey, dobe," they called as they pulled back the curtain to the shower. "Don’t use all the hot-" his towel dropped...

"Kyaaahhh!!!" and Sakura screamed

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Sakura stood for a minute, frozen as she and the dark-haired man stared at one another in disbelief. Many questions ran through her head as she stared at the nakedness in front of her, but he asked the one question that stood out the most to her as if he'd read her mind.

"Who the hell are you?" this came from him as he knelt to retrieve the towel that had fallen from his slim waist. In that moment though, all the panic that had been building inside of Sakura seemed to just pore out.

"Get. Out!" she yelled, swinging arms and throwing anything she could get her hands on at the dark-haired man.

Finally, he managed to get to the door and out of it safely without being pelted too badly. Sakura quickly closed the door, locked it and leaned on it with all her weight, just in case. Her pulse thudded in her throat, not just from being seen naked by a strange man, but at the fact that she'd seen everything he had to offer a girl and she liked it. In just that amount of time, she'd taken in everything she'd seen on his body and stored the images in her mind. She was sure it was something she'd never forget. However, that didn't change that fact that he was male and she was female and she'd applied to be transferred to FNUs all girl dormitory.

Sakura looked around the bathroom and saw her towel sitting there on the counter just next to the sink, but it wasn't within arm's reach. She'd have to walk over to the counter and that meant abandoning her place up against the door. She knew it was foolish to worry about it since she'd already locked the door, but what if he knew a way to unlock it somehow? It was cold, though, and she was wet. The towel would at least give her some warmth and help dry her faster than air drying alone.

As quietly and as slowly as she could, Sakura pulled herself away from the door and crept over to the sink to grab her towel, and it was then that something hit her. In her hurry to get the hot shower her body so craved, she'd managed to leave all of her clothes in the bedroom, including her panties. Sakura pouted and stomped her foot and just then there was a knock on the door. Quickly she ran to the door pressing the weight of her upper body against it as if that would keep him from coming in.

"What do you want?" she asked with a shaking voice. She heard him sigh from the other side of the door.

"How long do you plan on being in there? I need to shower."

"Then go shower somewhere else," she said

"What the hell? Look, Naruto's not going to be back for at least another two hours. You should just leave now instead of trying to wait on him. Besides, this is my damn bathroom." Sakura could hear the irritation his voice, but she was confused.

"What? Who is Naruto?"

"Don't tell me you fucked the guy and didn't even know his real name? Typical chick."

"I did no such thing!" Sakura yelled "I don't even know who you're talking about. I've only been here for two hours at the most."

"Wait, so you're trying to say that Naruto didn't bring you in here?"

"You're the first person I've seen since I moved my things into this dorm," Sakura said, a little embarrassed because the thought of how they'd met moments ago was still fresh in her mind.

"Moved your things?" He asked then paused "Are you that Haruno person the dorm advisor was blabbering about, about a week ago?"

"I guess so since my name is Haruno Sakura"

"Oh," he said dryly "I thought you were one of Naruto's air-headed girlfriends."

"Who's Naruto?"

"You'll know when you meet him. Anyway, my question still stands. How long will you be in there? I stink and I want to take a shower."

"I can't come out," said Sakura in a calm, but embarrassed voice. Again, she heard her new roommate sigh.

"Why not?"

"I," she hesitated for a moment "I left my things in there on my bed." Sakura's roommate looked across the room at the second bed. He hadn't even noticed that it was made or that someone's things were placed on it when he walked in the room.

"You mean the clothes on that bed over there, right? Then I'll hand them to yo-"

"No, don't touch them!" she yelled almost too quickly.

She didn't want him to see her panties, let alone touch them. It was just too embarrassing. It wasn't as if no guy had ever seen her panties, but this guy was a complete stranger. Though, he'd already seen more of her than just her underwear.

"Don't tell me you're embarrassed. You left your panties out on the bed for God's sake." She heard footsteps fading away from the door before she heard him speak again. "They're cute, though, I guess. Lots of.....dots....and a kitten face on the front." she heard him snigger.

"I said don't touch them!" Sakura yelled, smacking the door with her palm, face red with embarrassment.

"What, are you ten or something?" That was it, she'd had enough. Without another thought, Sakura wrapped her towel around her body, opened the door and stormed out. "They really are cute, though," he said before she snatched her polka dot kitty-cat panties out of his hands.

"Can't you respect a girl's wishes and her property enough not to touch her panties at least?!" He shrugged his shoulders then turned away from Sakura.

"It worked, at least. About time. You can dress in here if you like. I'm going to take a shower," He said as he strode over towards his bed and grabbed the towel he'd been wearing earlier. Sakura watched him as he headed towards the bathroom in his grey sweat pants and uncaring attitude and couldn't decide whether she wanted to run up and smack him in the back of his head or call him back so that she could get a better look at him. Neither was a good idea so she settled for nothing. "Oh," he said, back still turned to her as he walked and lifted one lazy, uncaring hand up high enough to give a wave. "I'm Sasuke"

Sakura's frown stayed intact even after Sasuke entered the bathroom and shut the door. She was so exasperated, so irritated that she walked to the foot of her new bed and fell face first onto it and screamed. Even so, as she lay there frowning, Sakura could feel the heat in her cheeks. She was blushing just a bit too hard for her own liking.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

By the time Sasuke exited the bathroom Sakura was fully dressed. She'd decided to ditch her earlier choice of shorts and a t-shirt and had instead chosen a pair of jeans and a less revealing t-shirt. She still kept the cute fuzzy ball ankle socks though. She was sitting up in her bed hugging her pillow when Sasuke finally noticed her, but she was too deep in thought to notice him at the moment. Sasuke plopped down on his bed and grabbed the foot ball that sat on the opposite side of his bed from where Sakura's bed sat and tossed it in the air idlly.

"What's eating your grapes?" He asked and Sakura jumped at the sound of his voice, but she'd heard the question.

"Nothing that you need to bother yourself about," she said with just a bit too much snap to her voice, but if it bothered Sasuke even the slightest bit he didn't show it. He shrugged.

"You don't want to talk about it? Good because I really didn't want to listen. I was just asking because you looked like you needed someone to ask." He continued to toss the foot ball in the air as if she wasn't there.

The two of them sat in silence for the longest time. The only sound came from the football as it landed in Sasuke's hands. Sakura stared across the room at the rude man and was finally able to get a good look at him. Sasuke was handsome, beautiful even, but his attitude dulled that beauty to the point that he wasn't detestable. If things didn't work out then she'd be stuck with him for the next year, at least, and his attitude towards her would determine whether the next year would be pleasant or not.

She focused on him starting at his head. The identical darkness of his eyes and hair were the first to be seen. They were the darkest and deepest black she'd ever seen, yet so shiny and eye catching. His pale skin was a drastic contrast to all that darkness making it stand out even more. His lips were th0n, but not overly thin. She'd have preferred more fullness to them, but they were still kissable.

His body was slim, but fit with broad, square shoulders. He didn't have very defined muscles, but they were there showing that he did some kind of sport like swimming or running. He had long leg, but he wasn't very tall, only about a foot or so taller than she. Even his feet were nice and Sakura definitely wasn't a foot person. The only thing that threw off his perfect handsomeness was his glasses. He didn't seem the type that wore glasses. It just didn't fit him, but it didn't ruin his image either. She guessed it was something you just had to get used to with certain people.

There was a soft knock at their door and Sakura jumped so hard she nearly fell from her bed before running to answer the door. Sasuke only shook his head and continued to do what he was doing. Sakura bolted for the door and swung it open as fast as her hands would as if the person on the other side of the door were her knight in shining armor ready to take her away from that wretched place. However, it was just the dorm advisor. For her though, that was good enough.

Sakura smiled, staring into some of the most beautiful, big, dark doe eyes she'd ever seen up close. The person before her was pale and beautiful with long, flowing dark hair and delicate features. Just looking at them made her want to hug them and she didn't even know them. Yet, the smile they gave her was enough to make Sakura want to have them as a best friend, or a lover. Well, not that she was a lover of women, but it was just something about this particular dainty person that oozed of love and pheromones.

"Hi," they finally said, tilting their head to one side, smiling even more. "I'm Haku, Shinobi Hall's dorm advisor. You're Haruno, Sakura san, right?" Sakura watched Haku for a moment, something about this person was mysterious as if there was some sort of riddle about them that needed to be solved. Yet, that fact seemed obvious to Haku.

Finally, Sakura bowed and said, "Yes, I am Haruno, Sakura"

It wasn't until Haku did a bow that Sakura discovered why she'd considered this beautiful person a potential lover. She'd never been attracted to another female and that fact remained. Haku was male. He'd been holding a clip board in front of his chest up until he bowed, and that small movement caused his shirt to pucker revealing the slim, flat plane of his chest.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Haruno san. I'd been expecting you. Forgive me for not being here to greet-"

"You- you're not a girl! You're a boy!" Sakura said almost a little too dramatically, pointing her finger towards Haku. He looked puzzled and little embarrassed under her gaze before he stood straight.

"Well, yes, Haruno san. I am male. That's-"

"And he's a boy, too," she said, successfully cutting Haku off for the second time as she pointed that accusing finger of hers at Sasuke who looked a little lost and shocked by her loud voice.

"Yeah, I am," Sasuke said after regain his composure. "But you already know that, right? You made sure of that with your own two eyes earlier, didn't you? Perv." His words both shocked and embarrassed Sakura and for a moment her mouth hung wide open.

"Okay, I think we should all just calm down and talk this over. I'll come in and the three of us-," Haku was cut off, yet again.

"Perv? Pervert?! Who's the pervert here? I wasn't the one that opened the curtains on someone else while they showered! I wasn't the one who dropped their towel! I wasn't the one who was playing with someone else’s panties!" Sakura said all this while pointing at Sasuke and storming towards him. He continued to toss his ball in the air and catch it as she grew closer. Haku had already come into the room and closed the door by the time she made it to Sasuke.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and said, "Oh yeah, the pink and white polka dot kitty panties. Cute." he sat his football down on the bed next to him and sat up. He acted as if Sakura had already walked away from him, but she remained standing by his bed. He slipped on his glasses and stood, but Sakura wasn't done. Not yet.

"You!...You, you bastard! You're too cruel! I hate you!" She glared at him as best she could through her embarrassment, but Sasuke didn't pay that any mind. He only came closer. So close, in fact that she could feel his breath as he spoke, tickling the loose hair around her face.

"Too bad then, huh? Welcome to FNU, roomie" With that, Sasuke walked around the trembling female and headed for the door. However, just as he made it to Haku he was stopped. Haku placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Aw, leaving so soon, Uchiha san? That's no good. I don't think you've properly greeted your new roommate," Haku smiled as he said this, but the sound of his voice didn't match those sweet and gentle words. He pushed Sasuke back away from the door. "Take a seat."

Sasuke glared. He didn't like being touched so much or having Haku order him around and it showed clearly on his face, but what choice did he have?  He went over to his bed and plopped down.

Haku walked over to Sakura and said, "Are you okay, Haruno san? Pay no mind to the emo, ever-sulking Sasuke. He's just picking with you because you're new and you're a girl. You'll get use to him and soon you'll learn to look past his childishness. Okay?" Sakura nodded and tried to calm herself.

"Why?" She asked low and Haku didn't understand.

"Huh? Why what?"

"Why am I here? In this dorm, why? I'm a girl. I don't understand."

"Oh, I think I understand what you're asking. It's simple. You were selected to be placed in this dorm, Haruno san."

"But I applied for an all -girls’ dorm not an all –boys’ dorm. Did they get my name wrong? Did I mark down the wrong sex on my application? I just don't understand why I was place in a dorm where my roommate is a boy." Sakura was confused and Haku could understand, but he knew the answer.

"I can understand your concerns, Haruno san, but there isn't much neither you nor I can do about this particular situation. You see, even though you applied to be placed in Leaf Hall, the all girl's dorm, it's full. There are four dorms here, Haruno san: Shinobi Hall, Leaf Hall, Konoha Hall and Fire Hall. Both Shinobi Hall and Konoha Hall were all-boys’ dorms while Leaf Hall and Fire Hall were all-girl's dorms. However, within the last few years Konoha's male to female ratio has changed.

There are at least ten females for every three males attending FNU now and because we didn't want to turn our students down, we had to find a way to accommodate. Because there haven't been enough males to fill both Shinobi Hall and Konoha Hall, it was decided that one of the boy's dorms would become co-ed. You, though, are the first transfer student we've gotten this year and you're female so you are the first and only female in this dorm." Sakura, without thinking, plopped down on Sasuke's bed just next to him and stared.

"So, you mean to tell me that there is nothing I can do about this? Nothing at all?" Sakura asked then looked up at Haku "Are you sure?"

"Well, there is always the option of finding a job and moving into one of the local apartments located off campus. I'm afraid there isn't much else you could do. The only other thing would be to stay here until the end of the school year and apply for the all girl's dorm as early as possible for the next year. Even then, I'm not sure about it since they usually end up reserving those rooms for the ones who were already accepted the previous year. The only way a room would open up is if someone moves off campus, is kicked out of the dorm or transfers to another school." Sakura's hands fell heavy into her lap and once again, she stared out into the room at nothing at all.

"So that's it, huh? I'm stuck here. I have nowhere else to go. I can't afford to get a job right now. I'm a full time student and I'm studying to become a doctor. I don't have time enough to do much besides study." With that she placed her hands over her face and started crying again.

"I'm really sorry you have to go through all of this, Haruno san. I really am," Haku said as he knelt down in front of her, placing his free hand on her shoulder.

"Tch, typical female," Sasuke said and a heated glare was directed at him from Haku. It was kind of scary, but Sasuke would never admit that. He only shrugged his shoulders.

"I'll try and talk to the head of the administration’s office and see if I can get your name placed on the waiting list for one of the girl's dorm, but I can't make any promises that you'll get in any time this year. Until then, we at Shinobi Hall will try to make your stay here as comfortable as possible. As a matter of fact, Uchiha san had already agreed to be your tour guide. He'll show you around the building and even around campus if you want."

"Hey! What the hell are you blabbering about, Haku? I never-"

"Shut up, Sasuke. I'm talking," was all Haku said without even looking at the Uchiha

"C-can't there be anyone else besides him to show me around?" Sakura asked.

"Hmm, I'm afraid not. Sasuke's one of the only available people living here in Shinobi Hall that can show you around today. There is one other person, but he's so hard to catch up with that I couldn't ask."

"You didn't ask me either," Sasuke mumbled, but was ignored.

"I guess I have no choice then, huh?"

"Again, I'm sorry about this mix up, Haruno san. I'd hoped to make your stay here as enjoyable as possible from the very start." Haku stood "I have to prepare for my classes, but if there's anything you need then please feel free to ask. My last class ends a six PM, but if it's an emergency then do not hesitate to call my cell. The number is written on a chart next to the phone in the main office. Sasuke will show you where that is."

"Okay," Sakura said with sad eyes, but there really wasn't anything more Haku could do for her so she left it alone.

"Alright then, Haruno san. I'll be seeing you around. Bye-bye"

"Bye" Sakura sat watching as Haku made his way out of her room and sighed. Her last-ditch effort to find a way out of Shinobi Hall had just been diminished. What else could she do? The room was quiet for a moment as she sat watching the door, but suddenly she felt a soft kick to her lower back.

"Hey, you plan on sleeping with me or something?" Sakura turned big green eyes and red cheeks around only to be met by Sasuke's impassive face.

"What?"

"You're still on my bed. Unless you plan on sleeping with me, get off." Sakura frowned.

"You're a bastard, you know that?" she said, but didn't wait for a response before standing and walking back over to her bed. She plopped down on it, leaned to the side, pressed her face into her fluffy baby blue pillow and screamed.

An hour must have passed before any noise other than Sakura's crying was heard. Sasuke stood from his bed and the sound of it caught Sakura attention. She turned her head to look in his direction. What she saw made her go stiff. Just across from her, Sasuke was, with no hesitation, stripping.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked, face pressed into her pillow. Sasuke stopped in mid motion and looked over his shoulder at her.

"What does it look like, baka? I'm changing."

"Why are you doing that here?"

"Because I live here. This is my room. It's not like I have something you haven't already seen, but if you don't want to see it again, then don't look. Either way is fine with me." Sakura looked over at him, eyes fierce, but the moment she did, her cheeks took on that familiar pink tint. Even from where he stood Sasuke could see her blush. He could only shake his head and give her an all knowing smirk. "If you insist on staring, I could give you another good look. You'll have to pay me though." Sakura frowned and put her face back in her pillow.

"I hate you!"

"Yeah, right," Sasuke said, chuckling to himself. After getting his clothes on, he headed for the door. "I'll catch you later, roomie. Have fun." Sasuke walked past her bed as he spoke, but the moment his hand touched the door knob, it opened.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Sakura heard and sat up only in time enough to see a flash of yellow tackle Sasuke down to the floor.

"Naruto! Get off, damn it!" Sasuke yelled and Naruto laughed. Sakura crawled down to the foot of her bed to get a better look at the two people wrestling on the floor. It wasn't until she glanced over the edge that Naruto finally stopped to acknowledge her.

"Huh? A girl?" he asked as he leaned in closer to get a better look at Sakura. Sasuke pushed his way from under Naruto's legs and pulled himself up while the blond was distracted. "Hey, are you crying?"

"She's just pissed that she has to stay in Shinobi Hall. Just leave her alone." Sasuke said, now sitting on his bed again. Sakura sat up and placed her hands over her face. Crying all over again. Naruto knelt on the floor at the foot of her bed with his arms folded on the bed and his chin resting on them.

"Hey, what's wrong? You're the new girl. I think I heard Haku mention something about a girl moving in a while ago, but I didn't think it would be so soon. Do you hate Shinobi Hall that much already?" Sakura sniffled, but didn't remove her hands as she spoke.

"No"

"Then why are you crying?"

She sniffled again. "Because.....because I have to share my room with him!" She pointed at Sasuke dramatically. Naruto looked over at said man and Sasuke only shrugged his shoulders.

"What did Sasuke do to you to make you cry?"

"He came in the bathroom on me while I was taking a shower, he was playing with my underwear, and he's been nothing but a huge perverted jerk!" She placed her hands back over her face, but the response she got out of Naruto wasn't exactly what she'd been expecting. He laughed. Sakura slowly pulled her hands from her face, puzzlement was clear in her expression. "What's so funny?" she finally asked.

"You two!" Naruto said barely holding himself up from falling to the floor with laughter. "It's just so hard to imagine Sasuke as a pervert. A jerk, yes, but a pervert? It's just too funny! And you," Naruto said, finally calming himself enough to talk again. He pulled himself up and onto her bed near enough that only his blue eyes filled her vision. "You're just too cute." Sakura didn't know what to say. She could only stare with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. "I'm Naruto, by the way. What's your name?"

"I'm S-Sakura. Haruno, Sakura"

"Cool. Nice to meet you, Sakura chan! I guess we'll be roommates for the next year so please take care of me!" He stood and held out his hand to her. His sudden change in attitude was enough to wow Sakura for a moment. All she could do was take his hand and shake it.

"Yes, me to. Wait! Roommates? I thought he was my roommate?"

"Oh, yeah, he is. We're all roommates. Each room fits three. Or well, I have my own room, but it's not as big as this one and I have to come through here to get to it."

"Wait, do you mean that locked door next to the bathroom?"

"Yep! The other door in the bathroom also leads to my bedroom." Sakura was in shock. Not only did she have one room mate, but two and they were both male. What the hell was she going to do? "So have you met the dorm advisor yet?" Naruto went on to ask as he sat on her bed next to her. Sakura could only nod. "Yeah, Haku's pretty cool, but he kind of looks like a girl if you ask me. It's sorta like you're not the only girl here when you think of Haku, huh, Sakura chan?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess so," was Sakura only answer.

"Hey, are you still upset about Sasuke's perverted-ness?"

Sakura didn't answer so Naruto stood from her bed and walked over towards Sasuke. He climbed on the bed and got up into Sasuke's face much like he'd done to Sakura only moments ago, and the same reaction came from Sasuke as it had from her. Wide eyes and pink cheeks. Sakura was surprised to see such an expression on the dark-haired boy's face. "Hey, Sasuke, apologize to Sakura chan." Sasuke looked away, but his cheeks remained pink and just seeing him that way caused Sakura's cheeks to grow warmer too.

"What are you going on about, Naruto?"

"Apologize to Sakura chan so she'll be happy again."

"What? No way. One apology isn't going to make that baka happy. Whether I do or not won't change the fact that she has to stay in Shinobi Hall."

Naruto frowned then turned to look at Sakura. "Will his apology make you smile again, Sakura chan?" Sakura thought about that question for a moment before answering.

"Only if he promises to be a little nicer to me." Naruto looked back at Sasuke, but he still couldn't manage to look into those blue eyes staring down at him.

"Do you promise to be nicer to Sakura chan?" Naruto asked, leaning in even closer. Sasuke frowned even more, but the pinkness in his cheeks never lessened.

"Tch, whatever," was all Sasuke managed.

"Close enough," Naruto said then turned to Sakura. "He promises" He turned back to Sasuke and said, "Now apologize"

"Can you get away from me. I can't breathe with you all in my face," Sasuke said.

"Okay, fine. Then I'll move, but you're coming with me."  Naruto moved off Sasuke's bed, but grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him along until they stood in front of Sakura. Naruto knelt down on the side of her bed, pulling Sasuke down with him so that they were at eye level with Sakura. "Now, apologize"

It was amazing, really, Sakura realized as she watched the interactions between the two men. Sasuke was an entirely different person in the presence of Naruto. He was almost....cute, not that he wasn't already attractive enough. Physically, he was beautiful, but even his attitude was cute when he wanted to be and that made Sakura relax. She even teased Sasuke a bit herself. She smiled at him and leaned into his face close enough that only his eye filled her vision.

"Is there something you'd like to say to me?" It may have been her imagination, but she'd swear she saw him blush just a bit more before he looked away.

"I'm sorry," he finally mumbled

"Sorry for what?" Naruto asked

"I'm sorry for being an ass, okay?" There it was. Sasuke finally apologized. Naruto watched as Sakura's face beamed with happiness and it made him smile. Even with her red eyes and pink nose from all that crying, she was still cute. Cute enough that he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Not until he heard Sasuke speak again. "Are we done here?" Naruto released him and Sasuke stood, pulling himself off of Sakura's bed. Naruto watched as Sakura's eyes followed Sasuke all the way back over to his side of the room.

Naruto sat on her bed hard enough to gain Sakura's attention and when she looked at him he smiled. "Hey, Sakura chan, did Haku appoint anyone to show you around, because, you know, I'm free."

"Actually, he did. Sasuke is supposed to show me around today."

"Yeah, right. Like I'd do that. I've had about all I can stand of the two of you today."

"Aww, come on Sasuke. Don't be a jerk. Please?" Naruto asked. Sasuke closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Get lost"

"Please, Uchiha kun?" He heard Sakura say and just the sound of his name made him look over at the two people sitting across from him.

The both of them saw that small opening and said, "Please?"

Sasuke frowned before pulling himself up off his bed. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and started for the door, but as he passed Sakura's bed he spoke, "Whatever, let's just get this over with. I promised I'd do it anyway." Both Naruto and Sakura smiled.

"Just give me a second to get my shoes and we can go," this from Sakura. If one of them had seen Sasuke blushing, they didn't show it and for that, he was glad.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

By early evening, Sasuke and Naruto had already shown Sakura most of the school's campus. The last thing on their list was the place they'd started. Shinobi dorms.

The three of them walked through the doors of the dormitory and to the left, Naruto pointed and said, "That's the main office. There's never really anyone in there, but you can find some helpful information like numbers to different places, schedules, and a map of the school campus if you're unsure about how to get somewhere. That is, if you can't ask me or Sasuke."

Sakura made a mental note of everything he said before the three of them left. On the first floor, not far from the main office, there was a supply store. It was managed and run by Haku. There you could buy anything needed like extra soap, tissue and snacks. It was purely for raising money for the dorm. There was also a small social area with a TV, a microwave and a foosball table. Nobody ever really went in there though. She'd found out from Naruto that the only person in the entire dorm that had their own room was Haku and it was also located on the first floor. From there Naruto started introducing her to some of the other occupants of Shinobi Hall.

There was a guy name Neji who shared a room with two other guys, Shino and Kiba. Neji and Naruto didn't seem all that friendly towards each other which caused Sakura to assume that there was some kind of history between them that had gone bad. She wondered what it was and wanted to ask, but it wasn't really her place. She didn't know him all that well to be asking such personal questions.

There was also Shikamaru, Chouji and Lee who lived in the room right across from Neji and the others. On the second floor were Zabuza, Gaara and Sasori. They were all nice enough, but kind of scary-looking. Across from them was Juugo, Suigetsu and a third guy named Kurosaki, Tomoe. He, unlike everyone else, wasn't in the dormitory at the moment. Just hearing the name didn't strike any interest in Sakura, but then again, nothing can ever really prepare you for the future.


	2. 2

Sakura lay in her bed, sleeping peacefully until the offending ring of her alarm clock sounds. Why, she wondered as she lay there, had she chosen morning classes? It wouldn't have hurt her to take afternoon classes, but mornings were more convenient. That way if she needed to do some studying or go to the library, everything would still be available when she finished her last class. That still didn't change the fact that she wasn't a morning person and hated getting out of bed.  
Looking around the dark room, it was evident that she wasn't the only one. Sasuke and Naruto both had morning classes, but not one of them had made a move to get out of bed. Then finally someone did move, but it wasn't to get out of bed. As a matter of fact, that person moved just behind Sakura. For a moment Sakura was too afraid to move. She didn't want to alert the person, whoever they were, that she was awake. What if it was a killer?  
What if it was a pervert coming to rape her? The person moved again, this time snuggling in closer to her, pressing their body in to spoon her. That was it, Sakura had to turn and get a good look at the offender. They had their arms wrapped tightly around her body so moving had been more of a challenge than she'd foresaw, but the moment she turned to face that person, her lips were captured; caught in one of the best kisses she'd ever experienced. Even with the staleness of sleep in her mouth it was still a good kiss, and Sakura couldn't deny the tightness she felt low in her body. However, she couldn't just lay there and be kissed by some stranger. She finally managed to pull herself away and when she did, she screamed.  
Before long, she was out of bed, Sasuke was up and their light was on. Sasuke stood next to his bed as confused and panicked as Sakura looked. Only moments later Haku and some of the other guys came pouring through their door trying to see what all the fuss was about. Sakura stood staring down at Naruto who lay in her bed looking around at everyone as if he didn't know what was going on.  
"Naruto! I'll kill you!" she screamed, picking up her pillow and beating him with it. It had been three months since she transferred to FNU and for some reason Naruto had found his way into her bed at least twice a week since the first day. However, today was different. Usually he'd only sleep across the foot of her bed. This time, he'd actually got in under the sheets and cuddled in next to her. And he kissed her!  
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to. I sleep walk. Don't kill me Sakura chan!" He tried hiding himself from her, but Sakura was relentless in her beating. Haku and the others didn't see any immediate danger so they all filed out and left the three roommates to settle things themselves.  
"Why did you do that, Naruto? I told you not come into my bed."  
"I wasn't trying to, I promise. It's just that I'm not used to sleeping alone."  
"What's that supposed to mean? This is your second year in college, Naruto. How can you not be used to sleeping alone?"  
"The dobe's probably not lying. He's snuck so many girls in his room at night that he hasn't had to sleep alone often," Sasuke said as he slid his glasses on.  
"See, Sakura chan? And the nights that I did end up sleeping alone, I always found myself in bed with Sasuke," Naruto's words were so innocent when he said them, but Sakura couldn't help but blush. She had no words for what she felt, but still she blushed, and she'd stopped pelting him with her pillow. She looked over at Sasuke and just as she'd expected, he was blushing too, though he tried to hide it with a frown.  
"Well, at least now he's attacking you at night instead of me. Good luck with that," Sasuke managed to say through his embarrassment.  
"It's not that I'm trying to attack you or anything. I don't even remember getting up to come in here. My body just moves on its own, though I can say that I prefer the soft curviness of Sakura's body over Sasuke's hard, cold body. I always wake with the chills. That could've just been due to the fact that he'd push me on the floor when he woke up."  
Sakura stared at Naruto, but still she couldn't say a word. He, like Sasuke, only slept in a pair of loose sweat pants, but for some reason he just didn't make it seem as sexy. Especially when he walked and scratched his balls or butt like he was doing at the moment. When he made it to the bathroom and walked in closing the door behind him, Sakura's fingers unconsciously went to her lips. He'd kissed her and it was good. Was Naruto a sleep kisser as well? Did he remember doing it? Her eyes strayed over to Sasuke who still sat on the side of his bed in his sweat pants. His looked down as he ran his hands through his hair so he had no idea he was being watched, but only one question ran through her mind as she watched him. Had Naruto done the same to Sasuke?  
~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~  
Sakura had pretty much gotten use to life at her new school. It's become easier and easier to find her way back to Shinobi Hall after her last class without having to ask for help. She was pretty proud of herself as she walked into her room. Surprisingly enough, it was dark. Usually Sasuke would make it back before her and have already turned the bedroom lights on. He'd either be reading or listening to music or just laying there tossing his football in the air.  
Today, she didn't see him at all and she couldn't help the lonely feeling that washed over her with that knowledge. It wasn't until she walked further in and placed her bags on the bed that a strange noise was heard. It sounded sort of like someone was kicking the wall in Naruto's room, but it couldn’t be him, right? Naruto didn't get out of his classes for another two hours.  
Again, she heard the knock and this time a sound something similar to a whimper was heard along with it. Sakura's eyes wondered over towards Naruto's door and again the knock and whimper were heard. Sakura's pulse thudded in her throat. Not because she was scared, but because she was hoping that Naruto wasn't in there doing what she thought he was doing, and that only bothered her because Sasuke was missing. It had taken some time, but after only a week it had become obvious to her that Sasuke had a crush on Naruto. It was just too obvious.  
Maybe not to everyone, but to her it was. What if Sasuke had confessed and he and Naruto were in his room right now having sex? What would she do? How would she act? She'd come to really like Sasuke, for the most part, that much she could admit, so to see him pressed down underneath Naruto's body, how would she feel?  
Lost in her thoughts, Sakura walked over to Naruto's door without really even noticing. She'd reached out for the door knob and was just about to open the door when the front door to their bedroom opened. Sasuke stood in the door for a moment watching her stand before Naruto's bedroom door. He looked at her hand hovering just out of reach of the doorknob and sighed.  
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you. You might not see something you like," Sasuke said and Sakura dropped her hand. To say that she was relieved that Sasuke wasn't in there with Naruto would be an understatement.  
"What do you mean?" she asked, following him as he walked over towards his bed.  
"Do you really want to see Naruto fucking some chick?"  
"No and I don't really want to hear it either," she replied  
"Trust me; he's trying to be as quiet as possible. He's doing it out of respect for you."  
"You make it seem like Naruto does this a lot."  
"He does and it's usually a lot louder. He's even fucked in front of me a few times because they just couldn't seem to wait long enough to get in his bedroom. He couldn’t give a shit about what I think." Sakura stared at Sasuke. Again, his words and actions pointed to the fact that he liked Naruto. She sighed because it kind of hurt. Why didn't Sasuke like her?  
"Hey, why don't we go and grab some lunch?" she asked "My treat." Sasuke looked at her long and hard with eyes full of suspicion.  
"Why?" he asked and she shrugged  
"I don't know. I missed breakfast so I'm hungry. And which is the greater evil: having free lunch with me or listening to Naruto having sex?" Sasuke stood and slid his glasses in place before stuffing his hands in his pockets and heading for the door.  
"Since you put it that why I might as well go." Sakura smiled and followed after him. "I'm telling you this now; I refuse to eat ramen so you'd better have enough money for something more expensive than that."  
"Yes, yes. Just stop complaining," said Sakura as she followed him out and closed the door behind them.  
~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~  
Sakura walked out of the restaurant behind Sasuke trying to count what little money she had left. She couldn't believe the prices they had. Usually local restaurants had discounts for students, but evidently Sasuke had chosen the only one that didn't and she was broke. He, on the other hand, seemed content and full and not so broke. She glared up at him as she walked beside him. For a while there was silence which was normal since the two of them rarely talked unless they were arguing. Naruto was usually the mediator between the two of them, but today Naruto's hands were a little too full to nurse the two of them. They were on their own.  
"So," Sakura began "do you think they're done?"  
"Nope. Not by a long shot. Naruto has the stamina of some kind of wild animal."  
"So what now? Do you want to go back anyway?"  
"I'm fine with walking. It's not good to laze around after eating so much and I, for one, can't afford to get fat. You can go back if you want," he said  
"No. No, I'm fine just walking, too." Again, that awkward silence lingered between them. It was already bad enough that he wasn't even looking in her direction or even walking very close, but the silence made it worse. It was like being fourteen again and being forced to go out with a person you didn't really like, but you didn't want to hurt their feelings. Of course, she really did like Sasuke though, but he didn't like her. "Why can't you afford to get fat?" she asked.  
"Because it'll ruin my pretty-boy image," he said then looked down at her. The expression on her face was priceless. It was as if she really believed he'd say something like that and to hear it shocked her. Sasuke turned from her smirking and said, "It was a joke. A joke"  
"Oh," Sakura said, finally letting the air out of her lungs that she hadn't even realized she was holding. "For a minute there I thought you were serious."  
"Do I really look that shallow?"  
"Yes," she said and Sasuke glared.  
"Get bent, Haruno," he said then turned to walk away from her. Sakura ran after him and grabbed his arm and just that small touch made him tense and give her a look that made her pull away.  
"I'm sorry. I apologize. I was wrong, okay? I didn't mean to offend you. It's just that you haven't given me much else to work with. You only show that shallow, egotistical, arrogant part of yourself to me. You only show your other side when Naruto's around."  
Sasuke stared at her for a moment before walking again. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm me. I'm always me. There is no other side." It was painfully obvious that Sasuke didn't want to talk about Naruto so she figured she'd better find something else to talk about.  
"S-seriously, though, why can't you afford to get fat?"  
"I'm on the swim team for the school and I'm the number one swimmer. How fast would I go if I wasn't slim enough?"  
"I knew it! I could look at you and tell. I figured it was either swimming or track."  
"How could you tell?" he asked.  
"You just have that kind of body. Not overly muscular, but not scrawny either."  
"You pay a hell of a lot of attention to me, don't you? Or is it just my body you've been looking at? I always knew you were a perv."  
Despite herself, Sakura blushed and looked away. "I'm not a pervert. It's just that I'm finding it hard to figure you out. I don't know when I'm really seeing the real you so I find myself always looking."  
"Why?" he asked and Sakura looked back at him.  
"Huh?"  
"Why is it so important that you understand me?"  
"I don't understand that part either. We spend most of our free time arguing with each other so it's a mystery to me why I want to know you. Maybe it's because you were the first person I talked to after moving to Konoha. Or maybe it's because we argue all the time. It could even be due to the fact that you're my roommate. I don't know. It's not like I have a lot of friends or people I know here so I guess I'm just focused on the closest people around me."  
"What about Naruto?" he asked, but still he didn't look down at her.  
"What about him?"  
"I think he likes you so maybe you should try focusing more on him."  
Sakura didn't say anything. What could she say? It was like trying to decide between apples and oranges. It wasn't that one was any better than the other, but everyone had their favorite. It never occurred to Sakura that Naruto had been looking at her. From what she heard coming from his bedroom, it sure didn't seem like he liked her. Naruto was always the same. He was the same with everyone. He treated her no different than he treated Sasuke.  
"What about you, Uchiha kun?"  
"What about me?"  
"Do you like anyone?"  
His face seemed to harden for a moment and then it was gone. "I don't have time for nonsense like that. School's too important to be thinking of trivial matters like that."  
For some reason, Sakura felt sorry for Sasuke. She wanted to argue with him that things like love, dating, sex, they were all a part of being human and that it wasn't just trivial matters, but she didn't.  
"What's your major?" she asked  
"Law"  
"Oh, wow, that's a good one. You hear a lot of children say they want to grow up to become a lawyer so it's pretty cool to know someone who's actually studying to become one. Was it always your dream?"  
"No," was all the answer Sasuke gave, and Sakura wanted to know more, but just when she opened her mouth to ask someone called her.  
"Sakura chan, Sasuke! Hey, wait up!" It was Naruto. "I've been looking all over for you guys. Where'd you go?"  
Sakura felt a bit awkward looking at Naruto after hearing the noises coming from his room, so it ended up being Sasuke that answered. "We went out so you could have some privacy. Haruno asked me out to lunch."  
Naruto actually looked a little embarrassed. "Oh, uh, sorry about that you guys. I didn't mean for it to take so long. You know how that is, right, Sasuke? Oh! But I can't believe you took him out without me, Sakura chan," he pouted "I want to go on a date with you next; just me and you. I'll pay since I'm not a cheap-ass like old Sasuke here."  
Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "She asked so she paid"  
Sakura looked up at Sasuke, but he didn't look at her. She had a feeling he was sulking about what Naruto said about the date thing.  
"Hey, Naruto, that girl that you were just sleeping with, what was her name?" Sakura asked  
"Huh? Why?"  
"I’m curious just in case I hear the name, I want to see her. I want to know what type of girls you like."  
"Oh, okay, but I don't really remember. I'll have to ask the next time I see her."  
"So you just had sex with a girl whose name you can't even remember? Do you like her? Is she your girlfriend?"  
"Nah, not really. I mean, I'm not gonna pass up on sex if someone offers, but that doesn't mean I like them enough to make them my girlfriend."  
"Do you like anyone right now?" she asked and Naruto actually blushed.  
"Uh, nah, not right now. Why do you ask?"  
"Just wanted to know before I made you an offer."  
"What kind of offer?" he asked and she could see excitement in his eyes.  
"If I agree to go on a date with you, will you give me your room?"  
"Hm? My room? Why would you want that? It's so much smaller than the one you share with Sasuke."  
"Yeah, but I'm a girl and a girl shouldn't have to sleep in a room with a boy. I think it would be better if you two slept in the same room. Don't you agree, Uchiha?"  
It was Sasuke's turn to blush, but he managed to hide it. "Don't throw me in it. That's totally up to you two."  
"Hey, but if I share a room with Sasuke then I won't be able to have sex as often. You know, not all girls want an audience," said Naruto  
"Well, that's okay. You'll just have to try and manage to do it when neither of us is there. I think we both deserve at least that much respect."  
"Hmm, I guess you're right, Sakura chan. Sharing a room with Sasuke wouldn't be so bad anyway."  
"Then we have a deal?" she asked  
"Wait, first I want to be clear on just what kind of date we'll have," Naruto said and that seriousness caught Sakura by surprise.  
"Okay. Well, I guess it can be the same kind of date that Sasuke and I had. Just a friendly lunch"  
"No way. I wouldn't give my bedroom up for just that."  
"Okay, then. What do you suggest, Naruto?"  
"Dinner and a movie, my treat and then a walk afterwards. Whatever happens after that happens."  
"We're not having sex, Naruto. I'm not one of your little school girl sluts. We're just friends."  
"Okay, okay. I was just kidding anyway," he said and laughed. "Don't get offended, Sakura chan. I already know your name and you don't have to worry about me looking at you the way I do those other girls. I’d be stupid not to at least try to get a piece of you though, right?" Naruto smiled and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, hoping that Sakura didn’t take his playful flirting too seriously.  
Somehow, Sakura felt hurt. Not because of Naruto's words, because she knew that he was joking, but something told her that he was only half joking and that meant that Naruto really did like her. She knew that that fact hurt Sasuke and his pain hurt her more.  
"Dinner and a movie and maybe even a walk is fine, Naruto, but can you give me until next weekend? I have some exams coming up this week and I won't really have much free time."  
"Okay, that gives me enough time to free my schedule anyway. Then it's a date, Sakura chan"  
Like the first time she'd met him, Naruto leaned in close to her face as he spoke that last part, but unlike then the look on his face was far from the cheerful, childish expression he always wore. No, the look in his eyes was nothing like that. This time they were filled with things like anticipation, lust and pure masculinity. It was in that moment that she could kind of understand why some girls would want to sleep with Naruto even without the possibility of commitment.  
"Well, I gotta run," he said. "Haku said he wanted to talk to me about something." With that, Naruto waved and left. Even before he was out of sight completely, Sasuke had already turn and started in the opposite direction. Sakura turned to followed him.  
"Wait, where are you going, Uchiha?" She was about to touch his arm, but thought about the glare he'd given her earlier and decided against it. "Are you mad about something?" she asked "Why are you so upset?"  
Though she asked, she already knew the answer. Sasuke was jealous. Jealous that she got to go on a date with Naruto and he didn't. Jealous that Naruto liked her and not him, but she'd never say it out loud. Not unless he admitted to it first.  
"Go back to the dorm, Haruno, I have something I have to do."  
"Bu-"  
"Get lost!" he yelled, leaving Sakura without even looking back.  
Sakura stared at his back as he left and whispered, "I already am"  
~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~  
Sakura sat on a bench not far from where Sasuke had left her. They'd gone off campus when they went to lunch so she had no idea where she was. She didn't want to risk getting anymore lost than she already was so she stayed where he'd left her. It'd been hours since both he and Naruto left, but she hoped that a least one of them would notice that she hadn't returned yet. She hoped it would be soon because it was already starting to get dark.  
She'd been trying to help Sasuke in her own way, but somehow it all backfired on her. She wondered if sticking her nose in Sasuke's business had been a bad choice from the very beginning, but she just couldn't help herself. She liked him. In the midst of thinking, Sakura hadn't noticed the old man who'd come to sit just next to her.  
"Hey there, young lady. Are you alright?" he asked and Sakura looked up with a start.  
"Oh, um, yes. Yes, I'm fine."  
"Are you sure? You're not lost are you?"  
"No, I'm not lost. I'm just waiting on a friend."  
"You look sad and you've been sitting here a mighty long time all alone so I figured I'd come over here and give you a helping hand." His words frightened more than comforted Sakura. How long had he been watching her she wondered?  
"No, it's fine, but thanks anyway. I'll manage."  
"I see your student ID badge there. I could show you how to get back to the campus." He stood and held out his hand to Sakura. "I could buy you a cup of coffee or something instead, if-"  
"Hey, sorry I'm late. I really should buy you a cell phone," a man said as he walked towards Sakura and the old man. He smiled and turned to the old man. "Was she giving you a hard time, sir? I apologize about that. You see, she has this weird fetish were she likes to lure innocent old men in and have me kick their ass while she watches. Turns her own." The look on the new guy’s face didn’t match his comical tone and the old man took the hint.  
"Oh, i-is that how it is? Then I'd better be going, huh?" the old man said laughing nervously as he did.  
Sakura and the mysterious new guy watched as the old man moved as fast as he could away from them. Sakura couldn't believe that that perverted old man had been watching her. It frightened her and the thought of it sent chills down her spine, and not in the good way.  
The distinct sound of a cigarette lighter being lit caught Sakura's attention causing her to look up. She watched the man before her light his cigarette and take a pull. She wanted to thank him for his help, but only one thing came to her mind to say, "Of all things, why did you have to use sex and violence to scare that old man away? Now he's going to think I'm the pervert. I'm studying to become a doctor, you know. He'll never look at me the same if I ever see him again."  
The new guy took another pull and blew it out. "I just wanted to kick his ass anyway. If he'd agreed to it then I could just say he volunteered. Dirty old man. Anyway, you're that new girl I keep hearing about, right?"  
"Huh? Me?" Sakura asked.  
"Yep. Haruno or something like that, right?" He pulled open his jacket and showed his ID card hanging from his shirt. "We're in the same dorm. I'm Kurosaki, Tomoe. I figured it was you because no one else around here has such...unique hair," Kurosaki said, gripping the end of a Sakura's hair. He looked at it closely which made Sakura blush, but all too soon he let go. Sakura stared at him for a moment and then it hit her.  
"Oh! I remember that name. It's nice to finally meet you, Kurosaki san." Sakura stood and held out her hand in greeting. "I've been at Shinobi Hall for about three months and you're the only student I've never met."  
Kurosaki took her hand and shook it. "Ah, sorry about that. I'm not there very much. I'd meant to stop by sometime and introduce myself, but being a full time student and working part time takes up a lot of my time."  
"Must be hard, huh?" Sakura asked  
"You have no idea. Anyway, I'm heading back to the dorm. You can tag along if you'd like, but if not then I could wait here for a while with you until your friend returns. Oh, I'm not some stalker, by the way. I heard you telling the old man."  
"It's fine, it's fine,” she said waving it off. “It was just a lie. I was trying to get him to go away without being rude."  
"Ah. Well, let's get going then, I guess."  
Sakura found her place next to Kurosaki and the two of them headed for FNU. There wasn't much conversation between the two of them as they went, but that was fine because it gave her more time to get a better look at this new guy.  
Kurosaki was tall, at least two feet taller than she, with large hands, broad shoulders and a nice square jaw line. He had blond hair like Naruto's, but it wasn't as thick or wild. Kurosaki's was more like perfectly styled bed head worn long enough to shield his left eye from her, but leaving his right eye unobscured. From what she could see, his eyes were dark blue, as dark and deep as any ocean she'd ever seen.  
The outer corners of them were uplifted slightly in the shape of an almond, but there was a certain laziness to them. It was as if Kurosaki was too passive or jaded. If his eyes could speak they would always say "Been there, done that, now let's move on" Sakura watched in silence as he lit yet another cigarette, and badly wanted to say that they were bad for his health, that he was basically smoking a cancer stick, but she didn't. She'd have plenty of time for that once she actually became a doctor.  
~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~  
After making it back to Shinobi Hall safely, Kurosaki bid Sakura a good night and she headed up to her own room. To be honest, she wasn't really looking forward to it. She and Sasuke had had a sort of falling out. Not like the usual arguments they had, but he actually seemed genuinely mad at her. It was jealousy, she knew, but how could she fix it? She liked Sasuke, but he was in love with Naruto and Naruto liked her. It was like a vicious cycle and until the truth came out clearly, it would just continue to go around and around.  
As usual the door wasn't locked and Sakura walked right into her bedroom, but the greeting she got was very much unexpected.  
"Sakura chan!" was all she heard before being tackled to the floor by a blur of yellow and blue.  
"Naruto?!" she yelled, trying to push her way from under him.  
"What took you so long?! I was worried. I thought you and Sasuke had gone to a love hotel or something."  
"Don't get punched, Naruto," she said, her patience with him wearing thin very quickly. Naruto moved off of her and pulled himself up before helping her to her feet.  
"You've never stayed out after dark. I thought something bad had happened. Hey, where's Sasuke?" The sound of his name coming from Naruto reminded Sakura of the disgusted look she'd seen on Sasuke's face before he'd left her, but she didn't want to upset Naruto.  
"He had something to do so we split up. I kind of got lost for a minute, but I found my way so I'm back. Sorry for worrying you, Naruto." She tried to give as good a smile as she could and hoped that he'd fall for it.  
Naruto stared at her for a moment and she'd swear she saw something flash through his eyes, but just as fast as it came, it was gone. Then he pulled her in and hugged her.  
"Naruto?"  
"Sakura chan, I'm so sorry," he said hugging her tighter. "You were scared, right? Being alone in a place so unfamiliar, it had to be scary. I wish I'd just stayed with you. If only I had known he'd leave your date early. I could have showed you the way home."  
"Naruto..." She wanted to say more to him, like the fact that she and Sasuke weren't on a date, but she didn't. She said nothing and let the blond hold her as long as he wanted to just to reassure him that she was fine. It was too late to say that Kurosaki had showed her the way back and telling him that much meant she might have had to tell him everything, and right now she just wasn't feeling up to it.


	3. Chapter 3

Sakura only had one class this morning and it wasn't until eleven thirty so she decided to sleep in. Naruto had gotten up around six and headed out at exactly six forty five. She hadn’t moved when he exited his bedroom so Naruto had assumed she was asleep when he leaned in and pressed his warm lips against her forehead. Her face flushed so as he did, she'd never been so happy that the room was dark. The only light that filtered in the darkness of her room came in from the bathroom. Naruto had forgotten to switch it off before he left for class. 

Sakura's eyes wondered over towards her other roommate’s bed and mourned its emptiness. Sasuke hadn't returned last night. He hadn't called or left a message at the front desk for them, and no one had seen him. This worried her a bit more than she’s expected and that in its self was unsettling for her.

Naruto reassured her that it wasn't unusual for Sasuke to go MIA every once in a while and that he'd be back home by the time she came from class. She could only go on his word and hoped that Naruto was right. Strangely, he didn't know what she'd do if Sasuke got hurt somehow.

Somewhere in between her thoughts of Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura had fallen back to sleep. It hadn't been for long though. The sound of her bedroom door opening awoke her and her eyes instantly went to the clock. Only half an hour had gone by since Naruto left out and she'd fallen asleep. No one else was there with her, she was all alone. Her heart raced as she listened to the sound of someone entering the room behind her.

"My fucking head is killing me" Sakura heard them say and knew it was Sasuke, but he didn't sound like himself. 

His words slurred and his feet dragged, and it seemed to take him much longer to pull himself inside their room than usual. He was drunk, this she knew, but if all the other signs hadn't been enough, the feel of him climbing into her bed practically screamed it. This was new. Sasuke usually kept a comfortable distance from, well, everyone, but especially his roommates. 

Having him in her bed made Sakura’s stomach flutter, both in a good and bad way. No matter how many times she’d secretly dreamt of similar occurrences in her dreams, somehow, this didn’t feel the same. She turned to face Sasuke, but just as before, her lips were stolen. Once again, Sakura was being kissed by one of her roommates in her bed knowing that he wasn’t even remotely aware of just what he was doing. After gathering herself enough, she pulled away.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?"

"Just shut up," was his only reply to her question before he kissed her again. 

This time, though, he pushed more of his weight onto her, pinning Sakura's arms to the bed and pulling himself above her. Even though he was drunk and even though his mouth tasted of stale liquor, Sakura couldn't deny just how good it felt, how happy she was to have him dominate her. Here she was actually being kissed by the one guy she liked. Why would she stop him? Because she knew it wasn't her he really wanted to kiss. 

Sasuke pulled back from her enough to look into her eyes and whispered Naruto’s name before leaning in to take another kiss. However, he never made it. Quickly he leaned to the far side of Sakura's bed and threw up all over the floor. Then he passed out.

"Great..."

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

SPLASH!!!!

Sasuke jumped and tried to sit up. The coldness of the water coupled with the feeling of being pinned down pulled him out of his drunken slumber like nothing else. He shook his head to rid his face of the cold water and tried to free himself from her, but the more he resisted the more his head pounded and that was enough to calm him down. Sasuke glared up at Sakura.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked his pink-haired roommate.

"Do you like Naruto?" she asked, ignoring his question.

"What the hell, Haruno? No way, now get off!" he yelled, but only succeeded in making the throbbing in his head worsen. He closed his eyes to gathered himself and ease the pain.  
"Liar!" Sakura said when he finally opened his eyes.

"Can you try not to be so loud? It's killing me and what are you talking about?" He asked this and the look on his face would have been enough to convince anyone else that he was being genuine, but Sakura knew better. 

His cheeks were just too pink and his frown was just a bit too deep. He was forcing himself to seem just a little too angry so it was easy for her to tell that he was embarrassed. So not working.

"This morning around seven fifteen you finally brought your intoxicated ass back home. I was worried so I couldn't sleep, but then you climbed in my bed. It kind of shocked me so I turned to see if you were okay and that's when--" she trailed off, her own cheeks starting to warm with embarrassment.

"Wait, you don't mean we fucked, do you?" Sasuke asked

"No! But we kissed….twice."

Sasuke looked at her with so many emotions crossing his face, but Sakura wasn't quite sure what they all meant. She knew she saw embarrassment, shock and maybe even a bit of amusement in there though.

"It would have been a third time, but" she looked away from him. ", after you whispered Naruto's name and tried to kiss me again you got sick and passed out." 

There was nothing but absolute awkward silence between the two of them for a stretch of time. Sakura was the first to look back at Sasuke, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. She knew how it felt to have a very important secret ousted by someone and how it made her feel so Sakura decided to move on, at least for the time being.

"Now here's a secret of my own, Sasuke." 

The sound of her saying his first name for the first time was enough to gain his attention, but this time it was she who couldn't meet his eyes. 

"I like you." Sakura peeked down at him from the corner of her eyes to get a quick glance at his reaction to her confession, but what she saw was not what she was expecting.  
"Why don't I believe you?" he asked and Sakura finally looked at him full on.

"It's the truth. I really do like you."

"All I've ever heard you say for the last three months is how much you hate me and now all of a sudden you want to tell me you like me?"

"I know that hate is a strong word and that I've said it multiple times, but what else could I say? You're the only person I know that can get under my skin so easily and it frustrated me."

"Since when?" he asked

"I don't know," she said, finally releasing her grip on his arms and allowing him to prop himself up on his elbows. That’s as far as he could go, though since she didn't move from his lap. "I just realized my feelings recently, I guess. You don't see me like that, though, right?" She asked and Sasuke said nothing, and that was answer enough.

"What do you want me to say, Sakura?" he asked, finally, and this time she was the one silenced with temporary shock. It was his first time calling her by her first name as well.

"I...I don't know. Is it just because you like Naruto or is it because you don't find girls, me, attractive?" 

Sasuke let out a small irritated noise letting her know that he really wasn't comfortable talking about things like this with her, but it was too late now. She knew the truth and there was no changing that.

"It's not that I...don't like girls, or you."

"So it's just Naruto. But you don't dislike me either?"

"I don't dislike you, but-,"

"You like who you like, right? I guess I can understand,” she said, cutting him off.

"How?" he asked.

"Yesterday after you left me it took me some time to get back to the dorm. It was pretty late and once I got back, Naruto was really worried. For some reason, I guess out of worry, he hugged me, but somehow I got the feeling that that hug was more than just a friendly hug. I tossed the thought aside and tried to tell myself that I was just jumping to conclusions, but then this morning before he left he kissed me."

"He kissed you where?" Sasuke asked

"I swear he thought I was asleep and that it was only on the forehead," Sakura explained quickly. She didn't want another misunderstanding between them. Sasuke moved his arms from underneath himself and plopped back down on his bed with his arm over his face.

"Shit, not the forehead kiss."

"What?" Sakura asked

"I've only seen Naruto kiss one other girl on the forehead and that was the only girl I've ever seen him be serious about."

"So I was right. Naruto likes me," Sakura said it more to herself than to Sasuke. "I'm sorry Sasuke"

"Just leave me alone, Haruno," he said with his arm still hiding his face. He was mad or maybe jealous, but it was all the same to Sakura and she didn't want it to be like that. She grabbed his arms, pulling it away from his face, and pinned them on the bed on either side of his head.

"Stop that and listen to me, Sasuke. It's not my fault. I like you so it's not like I'm doing anything to try and gain his attention. I'm not trying to steal Naruto away from you. The only reason I agreed to go on a date with him was so he'd give me his bedroom and you could have him to yourself. Yes, I knew you liked him even before now, and I knew I liked you, but I didn't want you to be mad at me. Just like you can't help that you like Naruto even though you know he likes me, I can't help that I like you. No matter how many times he comes on to me, I still like Sasuke kun." 

Now that her rant was over, Sakura released him and sat up in his lap, but averted her eyes. It took more out of her than she originally anticipated just telling the emo dork how much she liked him. It was just too embarrassing. Again, Sasuke pulled himself up on his elbows and used one hand to run through his dark hair. He was trying to calm himself.

"Look, Sakura, I apologize. I didn't mean to make you upset. I didn't know that you were trying to help me. It’s good you made it home safely that time. It didn't even occur to me that you wouldn't be able to find your way back on your own. I was too blinded by my own problems, I guess. Sorry."

"It's fine. I managed to make it back safely," she said.

"Damn..." 

Sasuke was beating himself up about it now that he knew, and that was all the punishment she thought he needed.

"Sasuke, have you always liked men?" Again, he frowned and blushed.

"No. Yes...I don't know."

"Huh?" His mixed answers confused her.

"I've never really liked one over the other. There are things about girls that I like and things about guys that I like, too. I don't even know why I'm telling you this. I just really don't even want to talk about it."

"I'm being serious, Sasuke. If I'm going to try and completely give up on you, I need to know why." He looked at her, just looked, as if he were really seeing her for the first time.

"Let’s put it like this, I wouldn't say no to you if things were....different," he finally said.

"But you like Naruto too much, right?" he didn't answer, and again, that was answer enough. "Is Naruto the first boy you've ever really wanted to date or have you dated other guys before?"

"He's the first."

"Then you've only dated girls before now?" Again, there was that irritated noise Sasuke made when he wasn't comfortable talking about something. Sakura was learning a lot about him in just a short amount of time.

"No"

"No? You haven't dated girls? Why?"

"I've told you before, that type of stuff is just trivial. I don't have time for it."

"So you've never dated anyone?"

"....No," he answered and the look on Sakura's face was more happy than he'd expected.

"Sasuke, are you a virgin?!"

"Shut it! If you laugh, I'll kill you. I have no problems hitting a girl." 

Sakura could only giggle because he was cute, and being able to get under his skin was enough of an answer. 

"What's so funny?" he asked

"It’s nothing. I'm, I'm just happy. I'm sorry, Sasuke, but it looks like I won't be able to give you up after all." 

Sakura moved as suddenly as she said it that Sasuke couldn't do anything when she leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was far from chaste, but still left a little to the imagination. She didn't want to show all her best techniques in the first kiss, after all. 

She pulled back from him and said, "It's a good thing most of that water went in your mouth when I splashed you or I'd have tasted nothing but puke. Anyway, I guess now we're even." Though he was shocked by Sakura's sudden boldness, Sasuke tried to play it cool.

"Hn" He acted as if the kiss had no effect on him what so ever.

"Why are you like that? I don't understand."

"Like what?" he asked

"You don't seem like a typical male virgin. You have no problems getting naked in front of others and you act as if a kiss is nothing."

"I never said I hadn't kissed anyone, you only assumed it, and why would I have a problem showing my body? I have nothing to hide."

"I guess you're right. So, the people you kissed, where they male or female?"

"Not telling you. You already know too much about me as it is, Sakura."

"Okay, okay I can respect that. Now, when are we going to tell Naruto?" she asked.

"Tell Naruto what?"

"About everything we talked about. About your liking him? Surely you didn't plan on keeping this a secret now that we've come this far? You have to confess to Naruto."

"Over my dead body."

"What?"

"Naruto's a homophobe and I've kept my secret for years. I think I'd like to keep it that way."

"How long have you liked Naruto, Sasuke?"

"I've known Naruto since middle school, but I only started…..noticing him like that since freshmen year in high school."

"That long? You've known each other that long? Wow. Well, anyway, it's been long enough. If we never get this out in the open and figure out a way to deal with it then it'll just continue. I like you, you like Naruto and he likes me, and it will go on and on until someone is hurt. I really don't want it to be like that so to avoid it all, we have to tell Naruto."

"You can’t force me to do things that I don't want to do, Sakura."

"I'm not trying to, Sasuke, but you know it's the right thing to do,” she said with a firm expression, but he just looked away. Sakura sighed, “Anyway, I have class soon so I have to start getting ready, but please at least think about it. I'll help you and the three of us will get through this somehow. If you and Naruto are as close friends as I think you are then not even this will come in between you. That's what I think." Sakura leaned in and placed a chaste kiss against Sasuke's lips then pulled herself from his lap. Though she had class today, she didn't think she'd be able to focus after everything that’s happened. Not one bit.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

After Sakura left for class Sasuke went down to the social room and made himself a cup of coffee. He took two pain pills and lounged in his bed sipping coffee while listening to some music. His head was already feeling much better, but his mind couldn't stop thinking about the conversation he'd had with Sakura. He still couldn't believe he'd actually admitted out loud that he liked Naruto, or that someone had actually read him enough to notice the tightly moderated signs. He'd had many years to perfect his act of not liking Naruto and in just three months or less a single girl comes in and shatters all his efforts. He didn't know whether he should be pissed or like her more for it. Intelligence had always been one of the things that attracted Sasuke's attention.

He'd been so lost in his thoughts and the sound of his music that Sasuke missed it when his blond friend entered the room. It wasn't until Naruto grabbed him by his shirt and yanked him off the bed making him waste his coffee that Sasuke noticed him at all.

"What the hell, Naruto?!"

"How could you just leave Sakura chan alone in a place she didn't know about?!" Sasuke's mind was still foggy from the alcohol and he just couldn't make it work as fast. That was the reason why he'd decided to skip classes today.

"What?"

"You left Sakura outside school campus by herself for hours. It was dark when she made it back home! What were you thinking? Or were you even thinking at all?" Sasuke pulled himself from Naruto.

"I didn't know she wouldn't remember the way home." 

Naruto grabbed him again. "How stupid is that?" Sasuke pushed Naruto away, but he only came back, jacking Sasuke up by his clothes once again. This time, though, Sasuke did the same.

"You need to fucking calm down, Naruto! It was a mistake."

“A stupid mistake, Sasuke! She's a girl! Anything could have happened to her!" 

It was Sasuke's turn to get angry. Even though he knew why Naruto cared so much, it still angered him. Jealous boiled over within him.

"Why do you care about it so much, Naruto? You left first, didn't you? If you wanted to make sure she got back home safely then you should have stayed."

"I know that! I regret it, but I didn't know you'd leave her!"

"Fuck this. Let go of my shirt, Naruto."

"What if something had happened to her?!"

"I said let go of me!"

"What if something had happened to her? huh?!"

"Get your damn hands off me!" Sasuke yelled

"Sasuke, you baka!" Naruto screamed and before either of them knew it, they both threw a punch. Equal power, equal speed; both landed a punch on the other's jaw.  
Naruto fell to the floor and Sasuke stumbled back on his bed. Silence stretched between them as they tried to remember how to breathe properly, both trying to calm them self. Naruto was the first to make a move. He pulled himself up off the floor rubbing his jaw as he sat on the side of Sasuke's bed and looked at the dark haired man. But Sasuke only glared up at the ceiling.

"I like Sakura chan," Naruto admitted.

"I know," Sasuke said.

"Sorry about all this. I over reacted. You like her too, don't you?" It was only in response to that question that Sasuke finally looked over at Naruto. He kind of figured that was why Naruto acted with so much aggression towards him. It’s because he thinks Sasuke likes Sakura. Sasuke didn't answer, only sat up next to his friend rubbing his jaw.

"Damn it, Naruto. That punch is going to leave a huge bruise."

"Yeah and I think you cracked one of my teeth in the back. Now I gotta make a dentist appointment." 

Just then their door swung open and a crowd of guys poured in, but it was Haku who spoke first. "What the hell are you guys up here doing? I could hear you from the first floor."

Naruto turned and smiled at the group of guys and Sasuke gave a small "Hn".

"Ah, sorry about the noise, you guys. Sasuke and I were just having a little talk. We're done now, though."

"Did you two have an argument?" Haku asked

"Sorta," Naruto answered.

"Was it about Haruno san?" this question came from Kurosaki.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just asking, that's all," Kurosaki said, but the grim expression on his face didn't match the neutrality in his voice.

"It's fine," Naruto said, cheerfully avoiding the answer to Kurosaki's earlier question. "We've already solved our problem"

"You guys need to keep it down. It's very rude to disturb the other students," said Haku.

"Sorry about that. We'll try to keep it down next time," Naruto apologized, scratching his neck and smiling as he did. Most of the guys chuckled and shook their heads as they left. Only Kurosaki lingered not finding the situation funny at all. Before Haku could close their door, Sakura approached him from behind.

"Hi, Haku san. What's going on?"

"Hello, Haruno san. Apparently nothing. Your two roommates were just making a little too much noise and the guys and I came to see what all the fuss was about."

"Oh. I'm really sorry about that. I'll try and keep them under control a little better."

"Please do, Haruno san. I wouldn't want to report them because the other students complained. Well, I'll be leaving first."

"Bye." Sakura waved at Haku as he left. It wasn't until she turned back around and bumped into Kurosaki that she finally noticed him. Kurosaki grabbed hold of her shoulders to steady her.

"Oh, Kurosaki kun, you're still here?"

"Yeah, I also came to see what the fuss was about."

"I'm sorry about my roommates. They usually don't keep up so much noise."

"It's fine. So, are you okay?" he asked, his voice gone low so that those two couldn't hear.

"Yes, I'm fine." unconsciously she placed her hand on the taller man's arm. "I never did thank you, Kurosaki kun. You really helped me a lot. Thank you." Surprise filled that one visible deep blue eye as Kurosaki stared down at Sakura. He was flattered and flustered.

"Ahh," was all he could manage to get out while looking away from her and rubbing his head. He was trying not to show her his blushing face, but she saw it anyway and giggled.  
"I'll see you around, Kurosaki kun"

"Yeah" 

With that, he left and Sakura turned to enter her dorm room. However, Haku had never closed the door to the room so her little moment with Kurosaki hadn't gone unseen. Both Sasuke and Naruto stared at her as she smiled and walked in.

"What?" she asked

"Didn't know you were so familiar with Kurosaki," Sasuke said as he stood and walked to the bathroom to check his face.

"I wasn't. I'm not. I just met him yesterday."

"You sure could’ve fooled me," Naruto mumbled

"Did you say something, Naruto?" Sakura asked

"What were you guys talking about so quietly out there?" he asked

"Nothing really. Kurosaki helped me with something yesterday and I was just thanking him." Sasuke stopped poking at the growing bruise on his face long enough to look in the room at Sakura

"Something like?" 

Sakura looked at him for a moment then sat her bags down on her bed. "A school assignment."

"Do you like him?" Naruto asked. Sakura frowned at him.

"No, why? You know, you two sure have some balls to be questioning me about who I choose to associate myself with." Naruto looked away from her and Sasuke went back to looking at his face. "Get ready, you two. We need to talk and I'm hungry so we're going out."

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, suddenly standing in the open door of the bathroom looking at her.

"I've given you enough time. We have to do this as soon as possible," she said and her face seemed to soften. "Trust me. I have a feeling everything's going to be alright."

"What are you guys talking about?" Naruto asked looking back and forth between his roommates. Sakura smiled at him and Sasuke disappeared back into the bathroom, avoiding Naruto all together.

"I'll explain everything once I've had some food in my stomach," Said Sakura. "Now come on, you two. I'm starving. Oh, and I used all my money up on Sasuke yesterday so one of you is paying."

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Naruto sat back from the table with a satisfied grin on his face while rubbing his belly. He burped and both Sakura and Sasuke frowned. They'd gone to a local bar and grill, much to Naruto's dismay, but the restaurant served some of his other favorite foods besides ramen. Sakura sat across from him and Sasuke sat furthest away from both of them. Though, at a table big enough to hold only three occupants, that wasn't very far. Sasuke was sipping on his soda when Sakura finally spoke.

"Hey, Naruto what do you think of homosexuality?" Sasuke spit soda all over them all, coughing and trying to catch his breath.

"What the hell, Sakura?" he managed to ask after he got himself under control.

"What?" she asked him.

"Hey, he just called you by your real name," said Naruto

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, answer the question, Naruto."

"Sakura!?"

"Sasuke!"

"Naruto!" Naruto said, smiling and pointing to himself. "Wait, you just called him by his real name, too. When did you two become so buddy-buddy with each other?"

"I don't think now is the right time," Sasuke said to Sakura, ignoring Naruto's question.

"Yes it is. Go ahead, Naruto, answer the question."

"Uh, what was the question again?" Both Sakura and Sasuke looked at the blond.

"What do you think of homosexuality?" Sakura asked again.

"Uh, what do you mean? Like, do I agree with it or something?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, we could start with that."

"Um, well it's okay, I guess. I mean, what a person does or likes is their business. If a guy wants to be fucked in the ass then let him be fucked in the ass. Now, I won't be getting fucked in my ass, but that's just me. Lesbian are hot, though. I'd watch them do each other all day."

"This might not be the right place to talk about this," Sasuke said, looking around at all the other occupants that overheard Naruto's loud voice. Naruto and Sakura looked around and the two of them laughed. Their waitress walked over, Sasuke paid her and they left.

They laughed as they left the restaurant and after the laughter died they just walked. Silence filled the space around the three of them as they strolled through downtown Konoha. The people around them, it seemed, thinned out the further they went until they were nearly alone. The sun was just beginning to set in the distance, painting the sky in beautiful shades of pink, orange, blue, white and red. The area around them was filled with trees, water and green grassy open space. 

They came to a bridge crossing over a stream of water and there they stopped. Sakura and Naruto leaned against the side of the bridge watching the water pass by while Sasuke stood across from them leaning his back against the other side.

"Hey, Sakura chan, I know I may not be the most serious guy, but I can read the atmosphere, and right now I can tell that something serious is going on," Naruto looked over at her. "What's up? What's going on?"

"You like me, don't you, Naruto?" Sakura asked, looking back at him. "I mean really, really like me."

"Ah! ahaha!" He tried laughing to lighten the mood, but it didn't work. Sakura only stared, waiting for an answer. He looked down. "Yeah, I like you, Sakura chan."

"I'm glad to hear you say it out loud. It makes you feel better, right? Like something heavy has been lifted off your shoulders?" Naruto nodded and Sakura smiled. "Could you image never being able to express your feelings or confessing to the person you like?"

"Nah," he answered, shaking his head. "I don't think I could." He looked down at Sakura with sincere eyes and she knew that his words were meant for her, but she was trying to make a point.

"I have a confession of my own to make, Naruto, but I don’t really know how to tell you, so…I’ll just come right out and say it. I…I have someone else that… I like."

Those blue eyes of his seemed to lose just a bit of their sparkle in that very moment. He was crestfallen and the disappointment was clear to see.

"Oh well, you know, I can understand, Sakura chan. It's not like I've shown you any good reason to like me," he said with a half smile, but no longer looked at her. "How long have you been dating him?"

"Actually, I'm still single." 

Naruto couldn't keep the surprise off his face at hearing those words, and Sakura learned in that moment that Naruto wore his heart on his sleeve.

"Huh? You're single? But I thought you and that Kurosaki guy were dating."

"I told you that I didn’t like him. I just met him yesterday. I don't know anything about him," her eyes were just a bit too serious, but she quickly gained control of herself. She closed her eyes and when she reopened them, she smiled. "No, I'm not dating anyone. You see, the guy I like already has someone he likes so I'm forced to push my feelings aside and just watch him from afar. So we’re kind of in the same boat."

"Does he know you like him?" Naruto asked and Sakura smiled, turning so she faced Sasuke.

"Yes, he knows. It took all I had to finally confess, but I did and I actually feel so much better now. I told him and even though he turned me down I'm still happy. He didn't try to hurt my feelings or push me away so I’m lucky. I have a feeling he'll still be right by my side, though, even now." Sakura glanced at Sasuke and there on his face was that angry mask he always wore to try and hide his embarrassment, but Sakura knew better.

"Oh! Now I get it," Naruto said and Sakura looked up at him puzzled.

"Huh?"

"That question from earlier, it was about that guy that you like, right? You said that he likes someone else. Is it because he's gay?" Both Sakura and Sasuke gasped. Naruto was smarter than they thought. He hit the nail right on the head. Well, sort of. He gave Sakura an all knowing smile and she swallowed loud enough for him to hear.

"What-what is it, Naruto? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I know who it is you like! I really didn't think you liked that kind of guy, but well, he is pretty cute for a guy. I tell ya, if he were a girl, I'd definitely be all over him."

"Wait, who do you think I’m talking about, Naruto?"

"It's Haku, right? Our dorm advisor."

"What? No. I mean, Haku is pretty cute, but definitely too feminine for my taste."

"Then, Shikamaru?"

"I don’t think Shikamaru likes guys," she said

"Me neither. I was just guessing names. Um, Zabuza?"

"No"

"Sasori?"

"No"

"Kiba, it's Kiba, right?"

"No, Naruto-"

"It's me!" Sasuke yelled making Sakura and Naruto both freeze where they stood. "She's talking about me, dobe." 

Sasuke walked over towards them and Naruto unconsciously took a step back, but stopped when his body met the side of the bridge. 

"She told me that she likes me,” Sasuke continued. “God, how can I like such a simple-minded buffoon like you?" Naruto only stared for a moment then turned to Sakura and pointed at Sasuke.

"Him? Sasuke? You like Sasuke?!....Wait, what?" He turned to look back at Sasuke whose angry mask had returned. All arrogance and beauty painted with slightly pink cheeks. "What did you just say?" he asked. 

Sasuke turned and started walking away from his two roommates while Naruto stood staring at him with confusion written all over his face.

"Sasuke turned me down because he likes you, Naruto."

"Wha.....What the hell?!" Naruto yelled before running after Sasuke.

"Naruto! Wait, don't do something stupid," Sakura said, running after them both.

"Hey! Hey, Sasuke!" 

Since Sasuke hadn't gone very far it didn't take long for Naruto to catch up, and Sakura wasn't far behind. 

"Who the hell do you think you are, teme?! How the hell are you gonna come at me with something like that and then walk away like I insulted you? For once, be a man and face your fears head on. The worse thing I can do is say no to you, right? Then the least you can do is suck it up and face me."

Sasuke didn't say a word, only looked away. Sakura made it to them and put her hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Give him a break, Naruto. It was hard for him to admit that to you especially since you’re his friend. He's been holding that in for a long time so just go easy on him. Please? Just this once, okay?" Naruto looked down at Sakura and she could see that the anger still lingered, but he took a deep breath and blood it out slowly.

"Fine, but I want some answers and he has to tell me out of his own mouth." Sakura nodded and looked over at Sasuke.

"Do you agree, Sasuke?" 

Sasuke glared out towards the setting sun."Tch, whatever."

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

"When did you start to... li-li-li....li-li.....notice me like that?" Naruto asked. The three of them walked further into the park until they made it to a bench where they sat, not far from the bridge they stood on earlier. Naruto, however, didn't sit with them and Sasuke looked as uncaring as ever, refusing to look at either one of them.

"I don't know," Sasuke answered and Sakura elbowed him in the ribs. He gave her a very unfriendly look, but answered again. "It's been a long time. Probably since freshmen year in high school." Naruto turned quickly on him with surprised eyes.

"What?! I thought you said you had lots of girlfriends in high school?"

"I lied," Sasuke said, shrugging his shoulders. Naruto made a noise low in his throat that sounded like disappointment.

"How long have you been gay?"

"I'm not gay! ....I mean, not exactly," Said Sasuke with a frown.

"Wha, what does that mean? If you're a guy and I'm a guy and you want to butt-fuck me then that makes you gay."

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled and gave him a very dirty look.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry about that last part. I didn't mean to sound mean or offend you, Sasuke. But it's true, right? If we're both males and he likes me then he's gay."

"Well, technically, yes," Sakura answered. "But Sasuke's a special case."

"Meaning?"

"Sasuke doesn’t just like men, he likes girls, too. It's not that he’s even attracted to all men. It's just that he fell in love with his best friend who just so happens to be the same sex as him. And that’s you, Naruto." 

Naruto stared at Sakura and then looked over at Sasuke. "Ahh!" He yelled, palming his head with his hands, pacing back and forth before them.   
"This is all just so confusing!" He finally stopped and looked at them. "I like Sakura chan, she likes Sasuke, and he likes me? What the hell is this world coming to? I thought Sasuke liked Sakura chan, too. Isn't that what you told me earlier after our fight?"

"You two got into a fight?! When? Is that why Sasuke kun's face is all bruised? I thought you'd gotten that when I pushed you out of my bed this morning after you passed out," Sakura said.

"No, I got this bruise after Naruto punched me for leaving you yesterday," Sasuke said to Sakura then turned his eyes to look up at Naruto. "And I never said that, Naruto. You asked, and because I didn't say anything, you assumed the answer was yes."

"So I take it we've all been turned down," Sakura said, now looking up into the almost dark sky. She gave a small laugh then looked down. "You know, it's funny, but even though I've been rejected for almost nine hours now, it still hurts like a bitch." 

She didn't want to cry and was trying her best to hold back her tears as she pulled her knees into her chest, but the moment she blinked, Sakura's tears fell. Both Naruto and Sasuke watched her for a moment and understood what she was saying. Sasuke placed his hand awkwardly on her arm and the suddenness of it caused her to look up at him. He was trying to comfort her the best way he knew how, though he didn't look at her. Naruto sat on the opposite side of her and wrapped his long arms around her.

"I guess this is why she wanted to get everything out in the open; to put a stop to it. Because if we didn't then things like this will just keep happening," Sasuke said.

"How do we stop something that can't really be stopped?" Naruto asked. Sakura sniffled a few times before looking up at him. Her voice was strangled and soft, but she knew they could still hear her.

"I think…. we should make a pact"


End file.
